Media:Nike Commercial Has Reebok Logo: I guess Nike wanted the commercial to be authentic, and authentic NFL jerseys all have Reebok logos. But given that another commercial in this series showed a defensive player wearing a No. 4 jersey, authenticity wasn't that important to Nike.
Bad Information on NFL Injuries: I think it has more to do with something ESPN's ombudsman said to Awful Announcing this week: ESPN is desperate to break news and be first, and that's hard to do without relying on information that in the past would have been brushed off as "just a rumor."
More NBA TV to Turner Sports Speculation: Plugged-in Steve Kyler of HOOPSWORLD says Turner is in fact getting ready to take over as we
Michael Vick Urges You Not to Gamble: Before he was a Falcon -- and possibly before he started gambling on dog fights -- Michael Vick recorded this public service announcement urging others not to gamble on his sporting events.
Video: Drunk Fans Make NFL Football Fun: The only thing that ups the unintentional comedy of watching a tubby security guard body slam a perp, is listening to tubby sideline reporter Tony Siragusa give the play-by-play.
MLB:The Wild Card's Singular Detractor: "I MADE my arguments and went down in flames. History will prove me right." George Bush on Iraq? No, that was George Bush, the then owner of the Texas Rangers, a major league baseball team, after voting against baseball's new wild-card system in 1993. The owners' vote came down 27-1 against Mr Bush.
Feds: Barry Bonds Is Next: According to the New York Daily News, the same federal investigators that exposed Marion Jones this week -- and insured no future ambiguity on her legendary medal scoop in 2000 -- have their sights set again on the big fish, the head honcho, the walking symbol of steroid use gone wrong.
Clubhouse Celebration: NLDS Style: Baseball has the curious habit of celebrating the hell out of even the most minor accomplishments. Remember last year when the Tigers had a huge clubhouse party for clinching the Wild Card even though they'd been in first place all year? That habit just keeps on keeping on into the playoffs.
Update Your Resumes, People! The Kansas City Royals are Hiring for All Positions: No experience necessary, this job placement program is approved by Fred McGriff himself even though he has no Royals experience. The fact that you have none either is irrelevant. So come one, come all!
NCAA Football:Howdy Doody Could Coach LSU, Says Person Worse at Coaching Than Howdy Doody:
If you can guess who said the following quote in a recent CBS Sportsline article on Les Miles, I will give you one trillion dollars (Offer not valid): "I say this all the time. Howdy Doody could be the head coach of LSU. There's a certain amount of kids who are going there. They wanted to be Tigers all the time." That's right, kids: Gerry Friggin' Dinardo! The audacity!
The Les Miles Myth: Dead: This is what you need to know: 5/5 on fourth down, once eschewing a chip-shot field goal that would bring the Tigers within seven for a fourth-and-three touchdown pass that was downright Tebow-esque, another time eschewing a chip-shot field goal that would tie the game for a Jacob Hester run that was just long enough. What does it take to sell real estate? It takes brass balls.
Notre Dame Wins First Football Game Since 2006; Puts Final Nail in Karl Dorrell's Coffin:
Speaking for my fellow SEC fans -- and yes, I believe I can safely say I'm speaking for almost all of us -- we have laughed and laughed at the travails of Notre Dame. And for the most part, no one is denying that they've deserved it. But the fall from grace has been suspended for now.
NFL:In Addition to Being an Awesome Wide Receiver, Randy Moss Is Also a Role Model: It's just like when guys get sent to prison and find the Lord ... except exactly different. According to the Boston Herald, Moss brought a group of 42 kids from his home state of West Virginia to attend last Monday night's Bengals game.
Meet Your First Place Oakland Raiders: Four games into the Lane Kiffin era, Oakland is 2-2. With the Broncos getting smoked by the Chargers this afternoon, the Raiders sit atop the division all by themselves.
Meet Your Next Hot Head-Coaching Candidate: Jason Garrett, in his first year on the job, has turned the Cowboys into one of the league's most dangerous offenses, and Wade Phillips is the head coach of a 4-0 team. As usually happens when one side of the ball dominates under a new coordinator, said coordinator becomes the "next hot head-coaching prospect."
Michal Strahan Claims His Ex-Wife Said, 'I Made You and I Will Break You': For her part, Jean says the book is "full of lies." I dunno. Even if the book is full of truth, what kind of guy is Strahan that he allows his wife to walk all over him to the extent that he's making tens of millions of dollars and she's telling him whether he can buy his parents a house?
What Are the Browns' Long-Term Plans for Derek Anderson? I don't expect Cleveland to re-sign Anderson this year -- they'll slap him with a first-round tender most likely -- and see how things play out in '08. Of course, the Browns might be amenable to trading Anderson this off-season, or signing him to a third-round tender if they're willing to give him up for a pick.
General:
Track and Field, U.S. Sports Leagues Have Different Polices on Steroids: Who's Right? I don't know the answer, but I know which approach I like better: The American sports leagues. I watched Marion Jones win the 100 meters and I watched Shawne Merriman get 17 sacks and I watched Mark McGwire hit 70 homers, and I don't want to read a record book that treats my memories as fake. Jones may be a cheater, but she won five medals, and no amount of revisionist history can change that.
NHL:
Nashville Mayor Says Preds Deal Is 'Close': As these negotiations continue to stagger forward toward an Oct. 31 purchasing deadline, the saliva in Kansas City has exponentially increased. On Saturday, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean gave Metro Council members some sunny news about the Predators' future in the city.
Detroit: Hockeytown No More? Yes, the Red Wings failed to *gasp* sell out their season opening game against the Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks. Obviously, the failure to sell out such a game must raise some red flags.One of the dumber theories I've seen involves the Red Wings being 'too European', as put forward by Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press.
NBA:Al Sharpton Threatens Knicks Boycott... But Just Wants Isiah Apology: The Reverend says he'll organize picket lines at Madison Square Garden if Thomas doesn't apologize. It falls a bit short of calling for Zeke's job (as Sharpton did with Imus) and I can't imagine many folks who are paying thousands of dollars a year on Knicks tickets are going to be able to justify sitting some games out for something as vague as an "apology to all women."
Isiah's Conspiracy Theory: Instead of apologizing for
Anucha on What Victory Means: ""They talked about that with me all the time, how these men, all these powerful men used to ruling with an iron fist, doing what they wanted and saying what they wanted and treating people however they wanted, they had been forced to come to court for a month and sit there and listen to these charges and have the public realize what they were really like: Isiah, James Dolan, Stephon Marbury, all of them."
